Side Effects: Seniors Will Lose Big Under Obamacare

Passage of Obamacare will have negative consequences for practically all Americans. However, it is the nation’s senior citizens who will get the short end of the stick after enactment of the President’s health care agenda. In a recent paper, Heritage health policy expert Robert Moffit, Ph.D., lays out the specific provisions of Obamacare that will hurt seniors:

Less Choice. Obamacare will reduce payments to Medicare Advantage, likely decreasing benefits and causing approximately half of current participants to drop out. These seniors will have little choice but to go back to traditional Medicare, and buy a supplemental policy to cover Medicare’s big gaps in coverage.

Reduced Access to Care. Writes Moffit, “With the retirement of 77 million baby boomers beginning in 2011, the Medicare program will have to absorb an unprecedented demand for medical services. For the next generation of senior citizens, finding a doctor will be more difficult and waiting times for doctor appointments are likely to be longer. The American Association of Medical Colleges projects a shortage of 124,000 doctors by 2025.” Obamacare does nothing to reverse this worrisome trend, instead making it worse.

Medicare Payment Cuts. Moffit explains that “creating a real problem for seniors, the CMS Actuary estimates that roughly 15 percent of Medicare Part A providers—the part of the Medicare program that pays hospital costs—would become unprofitable within 10 years” due to reductions in hospital payment updates under the new law.

Higher Taxes. “The higher taxes on drugs (effective in 2011) and medical devices (effective in 2013) will affect seniors especially, as they are more heavily dependent on those very products.” Moreover, federal premium taxes will apply to Medicare Advantage, as well as federal retirees’ health plans.

Moffit’s research outlines how Obamacare fails to address the pressing need for systemic reform of the Medicare program while also hindering the entitlement’s ability to adequately meet the needs of those it serves. To read more, click here.

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I could belong to the DAR if I wanted. I have my dad's Marine uniforn from WW1,

I havd three brothers Marines 2 Army,Husband was a Navy Corp man WW11 and Korea,both of my sons are retired Navy,both met their wives who were in the Navy,One son still works for the Airforce in Texas, and a grandson who has been in Iraq (Marine) twice now. I don't intend it to be for naught.

I have been asking God to get our Country back to its roots and values for quite awhile now and see it begining to turn. Thanks

My wife & I are senoirs on the Medicare program. We also have a backup insurance(Blur Cross) from a retirement plan.Another concern is: will we be able to keep this insurance or required to go with this Gov. Health farse?

For many years the Medicare system has reimbursed physicians at a rate that is less than the reimbursement of the private insurance companies. In many cases the Medicare reimbursement is less than it costs the physician to care for the Medicare patient. That is why physicians have limited the number of Medicare patients they will care for annually. The reimbursement system that Medicare uses is called the Sustainable Growth rate system or (SGR). It is a complicated formula which decreases the reimbursement for all physician services for each year there is an increased demand. So, the greater the number of Medicare recipients receiving care or the more sophisticated the care (those needing a specialist such as a Cardiologist,Neurologist,Gastroenterologist), the less physicians receive for each patient they treat.

Each of the past several years, realizing the SGR reimbursement levels are lower than the cost of delivering care, Congress has annually made a temporary “fix” of SGR and increased physician’s reimbursement an average of 1%. This well below the increasing costs involved with the delivery of quality care. Moreover, these yearly “fixes” only delay the cuts required by the SGR cuts which grow each year. This year unless Congress delays it, physicians will receive a 21% decrease in reimbursement which is unsustainable for the physicians. Hence, many physicians already have stopped taking any new Medicare patients. Sooner or later this will impact most of us as only the less “competent “physicians will accept Medicare patients.

The reason Obamacare doesn't work is that it's a mountain of unfunded mandates. The states have to meet requirements on their own, and especially in a time of recession just can't do it. The result is that the seniors and taxpayers lose.

I met a guy at a tea party rally who said just this. Best name ever, too – Remzey Samarrai (www.remzey2010.com). Hopefully we'll get politicians in 2010 who know what they're doing and know how to reduce this burden, both at the state and national levels.

Once the Civil Circus retirees finally get it that their health benefits are going to be taxed and the rest of the old folks discover their retirement investments are going to be taxed you'll see some real outrage.

What seniors need to know about Obamacare – Perhaps a more in depth look will reveal and different opinion. The truth, in fact, is that the insurance companies have been paid extraordinary amounts of $$$ per enrollee for the Advantage Plans, and there is not a freedom of choice with those. The high fees (and you can check out well Humana and United HC are doing) are what is bankrupting Medicare. I believe you are listening to the insurance lobby. The truth is that traditional Medicare with a supplement gives complete freedom of choice. If a person can not afford a supplement, it has been my experience that a lot of doctors write off the difference or accept a stipen in lieu of the 20%.

PLUS, the Advantage plans are so complicated and they change every year how and what they cover…it is not fair to senior citizens to have to go through this.

What has really cost citizens a lot is the funding to the Prescription Drug Plan. This is another entitlement and seniors now expect even more coverage. This country has gone crazy. We can't print (or borrow) (or tax) money fast enough!

As a new recipitent and participant in the medicare program, I am quite concerned about the ability of our country's medical system to handle the increased number of seniors who will be coming into the system. My employer has recommended since I'm eligible for medicare, to change over to the medicare system and they willl pick up the cost of a medicare advantage program. Well, there goes my regular health insurance. I can't blame my small employer. However, I can't keep what I had. OBAMA LIED.

In addition, I think that AARP is a farce. That organization has only one thing in mind: to make money. They accepted $300 million from the federal government a while back. That is call pay for AARP's support. So, AARP was disingenuous when it stated that Obama Care was going to be a great piece of Apple Pie for us seniors. That statement represented, in my opinion, the selffish interests of AARP..

Rationing is coming. If you believe AARP, then I feel sorry for you. My membership will not be renewed.

Also AARP is totally against the 2nd. Amendment ,,,AND is a huge contributor for Obama … They are in favor of DIS-ARMING everyone . How will senior citizens be able to protect themselves then ? Tell me . Are we just supposed to lay down and die after Obama street thugs rob us ? I WANT TO KNOW .

Well, the government said that it wanted to save money. They have made the discovery that if you don't pay for healthcare you can save money. Which brings me to the idea expressed by Governor Richard Lamm of Arizona(?) that old people have a duty to die. Maybe he and his fellow Democrats would settle for a stipulation or agreement that we fully intend to die when the time comes. In the meanwhile I''ll be voting Republican. Whoever thought that it would be the Republican party that would save old people. I always thought that G.O.P. stood for Get Old People.

went to two doc's this week and the price to see one went up from $30 to $40 visit.Than at my other doc's visit it was stated on door going in that visit prices are going upThank you very much Owebozo,yeah just wait till all of Bush's taxes run out and Bozo's kicks in..See ya in 2012 .

[…] proclaims a smiling Griffith. Of course, what he doesn’t tell you is all the negative side effects that will hit seniors as the law goes into effect. Seniors currently enrolled in Medicare Advantage […]

The level of fear, ignorance and hate in so many of the comments above is distressing.

It is unlikely that health care reform will change the Medicare program substantially for better or worse except for the Senior Advantage reduction. The much bigger problem is the increase in US health care spending from 9% of GDP in 1985 to 18% in 2011. By comparison the 2011 spending on the military, (Department of Defense) is about 5%. We spend 7% on education. The problem with health care reform is that it expands the insured population ( a good thing) while not addressing the cost problem directly. Maybe we need nationalized health care British style. They spend 9% of their GDP on health care and their population has better overall health than ours.

I think all republicans would love a 9% accros the board increase in disposable income that we could achieve by reducing our health care "systems" percentage of GDP from 18% to 9%.

Martin you are completely incorrect. You need to study up on what occurred in prewar and war time Germany in order to understand how a Socialist health care system works. First comes ideas such as eugenics and seemingly harmless issues such as end of life or terminal counseling. This is simply the start of the inevitable rise to euthanasia as supported by George B Shaw and other Socialists who used the Stoic dialectic or their core belief in order to determine (judge) who is and who is not worthy of life.

Take seniors for instance, they are considered by Stoic philos-sophos based Socialists and Communists as Useless eaters, which produce not effect upon society other than to consume. Read George B Shaws comments on this very topic. The end result via the use of Stoic dialectics is always the same conclusion. Eliminate those who are no longer contributing to the system. This is how the Stoic philos-sophos believers plan on correcting Social Security in the United States. It will become a system all unionized workers contribute to but very little have use of. Once they start to eliminate you older folks through euthanasia (end of life counseling and activities), then you will start to understand how the system works. That end of life counseling is simply brainwashing to convince each individual to accept their own demise for the common good.

Excuse me? The British are in the process of turning their 'socialized medicine' programs back to the private sector. They think WE are insane for instituting Obamacare when they – the Brits – have found it to be wasteful, more expensive, and yes…not working.

[…] Dr. Jeffrey English, since she was first diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease 13 years ago. So the dramatic changes coming to Medicare via the Affordable Care Act—and its potential to limit seniors’ access to care as doctors […]

Heritage and and the GOP are no being honest with the American people as to what is actually occurring in Washington DC. Either because they share the views of the those in Washington DC or because they simply do not understand what they are observing (forest for the trees syndrome). There is absolutely no difference in what is termed Obamacare and the health care system implemented during the 3rd Reich. They are identical because their implementers are identical. In Prewar Germany it was the national socialists which took over the country, in the USA its the global socialists which are taking over the country. However there is a caveat which Heritage and all the other so called conservative right are either missing or purposefully ignoring.

Its easy to trace the history of the Sage theocracies known as Socialism, Communism and Progressivism. All of these sects are linked to the same basic belief. The interesting part of this story is that this event was predicted by the Apostle Paul, who observed this very same condition while in Athens. Paul's Athens account is written in the book of Acts, chapter 17 and his rebuttal to that doctrine is written in the second chapter of the book of Colossians. Biblically studied Christians should be observant of the conditions which Paul describes, which happen to be the same conditions we are observing in this country today. The common doctrine which Paul described and which is still flourishing today is philos-sophos doctrine, specifically the Stoic version of that doctrine. All Socialism, Communism and Progressivism is soundly and traceably founded upon Stoic philos-sophos doctrine and its dialectic processes. This is the point that Heritage and all so called conservatives miss completely. All of these events we are experiencing are the efforts to assimilate US citizens and global citizens to a common doctrine. That being Stoic philos-sophos doctrine. Stoic philos-sophos doctrine was the base doctrine that Hegel used to define his system of sophism and its the same doctrine his students (which include Marx & Engels) used. So why is this important to US citizens?
That answer is simple and as plain as the nose on your face. A forced or national doctrine is illegal in the United States as our forefathers made it unconstitutional to write laws in respect of a religion. Since the majority of politicians in Washington DC are believers in Stoic philos-sophos doctrine (specifically some form of Hegel's version) then any law they have written which provides for social issues is unconstitutional, as its founded upon the national assimilation of their religious beliefs. That is the beauty of our constitution, it protects us from assimilation by these types of individuals. The question is how do we eliminate what has already occurred? The answer is simple, the people must sue under their constitutional right to end the further advancement of Stoic philos-sophos doctrine as a national religion and sue to remove all prior laws constructed upon that doctrine.
This is the truth which Heritage and others refuse to provide to the American people. Why? Simply because most of the people at Heritage are college graduates who were taught this same Stoic philos-sophos doctrine. The Stoics stick up for one another just as Christians do. It would be very difficult for them to stand up against their own religious belief. What do we need to get the ball rolling? We need a champion who is not a believer in some form of Greek philos-sophos doctrine. That champion can lead the charge against the violation of our first amendment rights as citizens of these United States. If Heritage is not willing to stand up for the American people then it stands agains them constitutionally with the reminder of the Stoics in Washington. This is where the great battle for the continuation of the United States as a constitutional republic will ensue if it takes place at all. Otherwise we might as well take our place among the global assimilation and learn to speak Russian.

I know of three individuals who have been called by Blue Cross regarding their weight. They have all been told that they either get their weight down or their insurance will not cover them for certain things. I do not know what 'certain things'might mean, but this country is battling an obesity problem. Just sayin' – Big Brother is watching you . Otherwise, how would anyone know you're over weight unless others have your doctor's chart exhibiting your weight?

This is simply are repute of the sophists and their actions in prewar germany when they took over the health care system there, only these are global socialists instead of National socialists, and we act surprised. I suppose we will be equally surprised when they start discussing eugenics as a solution to our nations medical issues. And I suppose when they drag out George B Shaw and air his comments about the useless eaters once again, we will start to discuss euthanasia as mercy for the useless eaters.

I love this Heritage Propaganda statement: "New taxes on drug companies ($27 billion) and medical device makers ($20 billion), as well as new reporting requirements and regulations imposed on physicians, will make access to health care and services more costly and difficult for seniors under Obamacare."

Our fingers are nearly worn out, at my house, hitting the remote's MUTE button to silence all the Drug Industry Advertising ads on TV. Maybe, if they'll be paying so, so much more in taxes, they can cut or eliminate all the "ask your doctor if XX XX is right for you!" television ads. Would love to see a total figure (maybe Ms. Nix can help us out here) for what Big Pharma spends on Lobbying and Marketing? — Both forms of "free speech" that are not allowed in many other countries, at least not on the obscene scale we see here in the land of the free.

OUR taxes are paying for ads produced by HHS to brainwash seniors to believe "your benevolent government" with its "health""care"'law" is going to "give" you a 50% discount on prescriptions when you're in the "donut hole". Where does that 50% come from? Either the "benevolent government" pays for it (more taxes, or more spending of money we don't have), or they'll force drug companies to sell their product half price. Stick it to the big, evil drug companies??? It takes YEARS and Millions if not Billions of dollars to make more effective new drugs available. If they don't have the money to invest, who suffers? SENIORS!
And WHY is there a "donut hole"? An excuse for the government to avoid paying for at least part of the coverage YOU PAID FOR when they confiscated Medicare taxes out of all your paychecks.

Sign me up for the euthanasia program as i'm sick, tired and tired of being sick and tired. The only use i could be to this problem is to man the ovens .Then, after 10,000 or so old people like me were dispatrched, i could take my place in the oven line and die happy that i had helped solve the "useless eaters" problem.
HEIL Governor Lamb and George B Shaw.

I am on Medicare and am completely confused,frightened,anxious and sick just to think of what may be happening. I live month to month on minimal income,there is nothing left after my budget now. I am in the bread lines when I can get there.Why doesn't the Government just slap a damn expiration date on all Americans. Plant a chip or some crap in us. How about a walk in clinic(like cattle) to drop us, they do as they wish anyway. When a magic number,say 70 hits=expired,gone,thank you for leaving!!!

My comment to Consumers Union as they solicited support for "ObamaTax": Your support of government control of our lives (literally) is enough to make us STOP supporting Consumers Union (just like we have AARP). The “Unaffordable Care Act” is just wrong – un-American, Government control (how do you spell Communism) and so very anti-consumer. How can you support such anti-consumer, ObamaTax, (you know the ultimate consumer pays for everything – Econ 101…) legislation. You guys need to refocus your priorities or lose support. Back off…!!!

My daughter is enrolled in a college class that is studying the "Affordable Care Act". The prof asked the following question," have taxes increased for those on medicare age 75 and older (tie in with social security). I can't seem to find an answer. Can anyone help? Thanks.

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